Top 4 Notre Dame Games of 2024: USC Rivalry Highlights Quartet of Picks
- Notre Dame opens the 2024 season on the road against Texas A&M. It’s a pick at the BetUS Sportsbook.
- ACC contenders Louisville and Florida State could be challenging opponents for the Fighting Irish.
- Read on to see the top four games for Notre Dame in 2024.
Is this the easiest schedule in recent memory for the Notre Dame football program? Three of the five games against ACC teams on Notre Dame’s schedule are picked to finish in the bottom half of the ACC standings. That is one of the reasons why Notre Dame is listed by the college football betting lines as a strong candidate to make it into the College Football Playoff field.
The matchups with Florida State, Texas A&M and Southern California could be crucial for Notre Dame’s quest to earn a spot in the CFP field.
There are seven teams with shorter odds of winning the national title than Notre Dame at +2400. The Fighting Irish are priced at -180 to make it into the playoffs as the field expands from four to 12 teams.
Notre Dame is 2-8 outright in its last 10 games against ranked opponents so keep that in mind when looking at the college football odds for the Fighting Irish. Can coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame reverse that troubling trend with the arrival of former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard?
“The fans are what make Notre Dame what it is.”@rileyleonard13_ is ready for Saturdays inside Notre Dame Stadium.#IrishOnSportsCenter | #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/ciWsql6j5o
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 18, 2024
Here’s a look at four games to keep an eye on for Notre Dame in 2024.
The Top 4 Games For Notre Dame in 2024
1. Florida State at Notre Dame, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Florida State is the preseason favorite to win the ACC after an undefeated run through the conference last season.
Many of the key players from Florida State are gone from that team, but the Seminoles will turn to D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback after stops at Clemson and Oregon State.
The Seminoles finished second in the ACC in scoring defense in 2023 and will look to make things difficult for the Fighting Irish.
The last time the teams met was in the 2021 season opener with Notre Dame winning 41-38 as a seven-point favorite. It was the third straight win for the Fighting Irish against Florida State.
2. Notre Dame at Texas A&M, Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
The Aggies moved on from Jimbo Fisher as coach as strong recruiting classes didn’t always translate into on-field success at Texas A&M.
Former Duke coach Mike Elko is now calling the shots in College Station. He will see a familiar face in the season opener as former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard transferred to Notre Dame. Leonard is tied for eighth at +2000 in the Heisman Trophy odds. Defensive lineman R.J. Oden also transferred in from Duke after recording 14.5 sacks for the Blue Devils.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko admitted Thursday at SEC Media Days it will be tough to go against Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard in the season-opener. They made a great tandem for two years at Duke. @tbhorka has everything Elko said about Leonard: https://t.co/rtRVyHGEv6 pic.twitter.com/OmfUZ7tgzp
— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) July 18, 2024
It could be a tough test as Notre Dame saw offensive linemen Joe Alt and Blake Fisher taken in the first 60 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft as they face a Texas A&M team that led the SEC with 42 sacks a season ago.
Notre Dame’s top rusher Audric Estime is now with the NFL’s Denver Broncos while top receiver Chris Tyree transferred to Virginia, so there will be new faces to emerge at the skill positions.
The teams haven’t met since Sept. 29, 2001 when the Aggies won 24-3 as a three-point betting favorite.
3. Louisville at Notre Dame, Sept. 28, 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Louisville topped Notre Dame 33-20 a season ago as the 6½-point underdog at home.
This game will be in South Bend with the Fighting Irish Louisville scored 13 points off five Notre Dame turnovers in last year’s game as the Fighting Irish turned the ball over three times in the last four possessions. It was the first time since 2014 that Notre Dame lost to Louisville.
The Cardinals are fourth at +650 in the odds of winning the ACC title so this could be a challenging test for Notre Dame.
4. Notre Dame at Southern California, Nov. 30, Time TBD
Even with USC changing conferences, there will still be an annual matchup against the Fighting Irish.
Other than the 2020 season when the global pandemic kept Notre Dame and USC from playing, this has been one of the constants in the college football world.
The home team has won nine of the last 10 meetings with Notre Dame prevailing 48-20 on Oct. 14 in a game that pretty much ended the hopes of USC quarterback Caleb Williams winning a second straight Heisman Trophy.
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Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions of the Day
How Did Notre Dame perform against the spread in 2023?
Notre Dame was 9-3-1 against the spread a season ago, and 9-3 as the favorite.
Who does Notre Dame play in its first home game during the 2024 season?
Notre Dame faces Northern Illinois in South Bend on Sept. 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
